I started my Monday vase thinking I was going to have a plum and grey theme as the Kalanchoe ‘Flapjack’ plants are blooming. These are grey, somewhat otherworldly and I thought they would look great with some purple flowers in my plum blown glass bowl.
Flapjack Flowers
So, I cut some Flapjack Flowers. As all gardeners know, Mother Nature often has other plans for us. I went over to my ‘it was blooming last time I looked’ bed and no purple flowers. Plan B, the Heliconia were blooming a little as well as the Tropical Blue Plumbago. I cut some of those and proceeded to another bed and my wonderful white Sweet Begonias were blooming. For greenery, I cut some Boston Fern and from the vegetable garden a little Fennel foliage. I grew some Fennel last year and ended up with volunteers this year I am hoping to eat. I love roasted Fennel.
The bowl is a souvenir from a long ago trip to the North Georgia mountains where my husband and I stopped in a local artisan cooperative. We both appreciate handmade items and have enjoyed this little bowl.
After starting a vase around the Flapjack flowers, they are barely visible (grey flowers and succulent leaf) I think the result is more Tropical Punch or Plum Tropical.
The Shrub Queen 
Beautiful arrangement. I like the use of the fennel, I wouldn’t have thought of that.
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Thank you, the fennel is in a pot on my front porch so I see it a lot and the foliage is just getting really pretty
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I think the surprise element is one of the great things about this meme; you start with one idea and end up with something even better.
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Very true, it takes on a life of its own as the flowers are arranged.
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I absolutely love the colors of the container this week…gorgeous and that Kalanchoe ‘Flapjack’ is definitely otherworldly. I love Kalanchoe and try to grow it in summer, but have never seen ‘Flapjack’.
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Thank you, I have had Flapjacks off and on for about 10 years, they sell them at Home Depot here.
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Yes, Christina is right – I expected to be making a vase purely from foliage today! But why are those blooms called ‘flapjack flowers’? Is heliconia the pinkish flower? It is so inetersting seeing blooms I have never heard of in people’s vases – and seeing how inventive they are with foliage! Thanks for sharing
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The plant the flowers are from is called a Flapjack Kalanchoe. It is a succulent and the leaves look like pancakes (flapjacks may be American slang – used to refer to pancakes) The red and yellow flower in the middle of the arrangement is a Heliconia psittacorum, Parrot Flower.
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Ah, in the UK a flapjack is a kind of soft biscuit usually made from porridge oats and syrup and sugar
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So, that sounds like our oatmeal cookies (biscuits) – you have pancakes in the UK? basically thick crepes. My sister lived in the UK for a while but the cookie/pastry terms escape me sometimes.
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Yes, pancakes similar to the French crepe, but also Scottish pancakes which are smaller and thicker and cooked on a griddle (called drop scones by non-Scots, just to make it more confusing!)
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The Heliconia did foist control of the arrangement from the Kalanchoe but its no less pretty for the match play. I covet that bowl!
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Heliconias are the star of every arrangement I have used them in. I do enjoy them and wish my big ones would flower. The bowl leaks! to my dismay.
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Such a pretty arrangement and I love your bowl. I always enjoy seeing the unusual flowers you put in your vases Amy. Flapjack flower is a new one to me, it is very unusual.
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Thank you, Liz, unfortunately I have found that bowl leaks like a sieve, so not so good for a vase! I had Flapjacks further north and they never flowered – these flower every year.
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I love the use of fennel as foliage. Does it have a noticeable scent, or only if you touch it? I also love them roasted or sliced and fried (the Florence ones)
The heliconia is nice with all the white. Pity about the vase but maybe you can find a jar that fits into it.
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I could only smell the fennel when I cut it. It is holding up well as foliage though. I think the bowl is really too fragile for use and is going to go back on the display shelf.
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Some things are just meant to be looked at 🙂
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It does look great! Quite fruity and tropical too – like an ice cream sundae with all the decorations on it! The Flapjack plant is very pretty, and new to me.
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Thank you, it is fruity!
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Nice one Amelia…love the Begonia
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There you have it: another very creative arrangement. Love how it goes together with the vase too.
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Thank you
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I love kalanchoe!
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[…] Jan25 by theshrubqueen […]
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